To Stay Warm
by castlenerd
Summary: My take on the freezer scene between Castle and Beckett. Coutdown Spoilers!
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fan-fic ever. I've been reading everyone else's work and just got so wrapped up I had to try it myself.

Countdown Spoilers!

Reviews are always welcome and encouraged!

I don't own anything!

The below-zero temperatures of the freezer soaked through my thin jacket and my feet half-uncovered because of my heels, were turning a sickening blue color. I looked over at the floor where Castle sat and knew that he felt the chill. He looked so small, his lips bright blue as I'm sure mine were.

He must have been watching me because he said, "I'm okay. Don't worry." But how could I not worry as his words came out shaky and barely audible.

He stood up and walked over to my shivering body rested against the side of the icy freezer. My whole body was immediately made aware when Castle rested his large hands on the sides of my arms. Usually I would pull away, put up some kind of wall to stop his continuous advances, but this time I just let it happen, "I need the silver lining now."

His hands started rubbing up and down on the leather of my jacket, an expression of pity crossing his normally jovial features, "I don't have any." He replied, his voice dripping with fear. I dropped my face to the ground. His strong arms shook slightly as he pulled me into an embrace. My pale hands stayed up by my face while he held me but then wove into his coat as the bitter cold stung fiercely. A sad smirk touched the corner of my lips. I finally let Richard Castle in when we are about to be frozen to death. How twisted things could get, if I could have, I would have laughed at the bitter sweetness of it all. But then the quirk at the corners of my lips vanished. What if all this was happening, him hugging me and me letting him in, expressly because we were in a life and death situation.

My mind reeled as I pushed that thought away and the kiss that happened just weeks earlier rose to the surface with a certain urgency. I can't count how many times I had thought over that magical event and chalked it all up to 'our cover.' In my heart, I knew that the way Castle had looked at me wasn't a rouse and the feeling in my stomach as that cursed moan escaped my lips, wasn't faked.

I was brought back to the situation at hand when Rick pulled away slightly making his comforting warmth disappear with him. His arms were still wrapped around me (probably for his own warmth, I thought facetiously) as he looked at me. Fear, concern and something else clouded his blue eyes.

"Rick..." I began. I wanted to tell him everything. How much his hard-work meant to me, how much him standing by my side helped, how much I cared for him. But before I could finish the sentence, cold took over and I could feel my legs going numb. Slowly, I fell to the ground my fall cushioned by Rick's strong arms. He held me tight against himself and rocked back and forth as he stroked my brown hair.

"I can't feel anything." The statement barely left my lips when his arms tightened around me. I knew this might be my last chance. "I want you to know how much I l..." but then everything went black as I slipped into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

I could feel the cold chilling me through my thick coat. Even the expensive wool couldn't keep the freezer from getting to me.

I glanced over at Kate who looked beautiful even when her lips were blue and she was shaking violently even though her rigid stance told me she was doing her best to suppress the shivers. Then her thin leather jacket caught my eye and I knew she was far worse off than I was. Helplessness overcame me as I realized I couldn't do anything to help her. I could feel the heat of her gaze on me and shifted my eyes to hers. They were clouded with concern and worry.

"I'm okay," I lied. "Don't worry." I spoke the words but the writer in me was going over all the scenarios in my head and none of them had a happy ending. Kate's face stayed frozen in that worried expression so I stood and walked over to her noticing just how much she was shivering.

I tried to soothe her shaking by rubbing her arms vigorously with my hands. She looked up at me and I could see the fear in her strikingly green eyes. My Kate was never scared. "I need the silver lining now." she said softly.

I looked at her seriously and replied, "I don't have any." Her beautiful face dropped to the ground allowing icy ringlets of brown hair create a curtain around her. The sight nearly broke my heart and I knew I had to comfort her.

As I pulled her tight against me, I could feel her hands weave under my jacket like ice cubes against my thing dress shirt. A smile pulled at my lips. Of course she let me in right before we freeze to death. I had to tell her. I knew that I loved her and now that my whole world was coming to an end, I wanted to let her know that the only thing I wanted was for her to be a part of it.

I pulled away, suppressing a sigh when her warm body left mine but I kept my arms around her to keep her warm. I looked into her, trying hard to memorize every line and curve of her gorgeous countenance. My lips were about to part so I could speak when a feeble, "Rick," left her lips. Her eyes were clouded with urgency and then in a second went blank.

Her figure went limp in my arms and I sunk to the frozen, concrete floor to catch her fall. I pulled her cold body as close to me as possible and rocked her back and forth. Trying to soother her, I stroked her long, brown hair, relishing in how soft it felt under my fingers.

"I can't feel anything." Her statement was airy and barely there and it stuck a knife through my chest as it reached my ears. Instinctively, I squeezed her tighter trying to will the rest of the heat in my body to save her.

"I want you to know how much I l..." Then the hand that had been resting against my chest fell to her lap.

"Stay with me, Kate," I pleaded. My arms shook violently but not from the cold but because I was trying to suppress the sobs that tore me apart.

She couldn't die. I hadn't told her. I hadn't told her she was reason I risked my life. That I couldn't stand the idea of not seeing that brilliant smile everyday. That everyday I spent with her made my whole life pale in comparison.

I felt for a pulse. The light push of blood through veins pressed softly against my fingers. It was there but barely.

I placed several small kisses along her icy hairline pausing to breath in the scent of cherries still radiating from her locks.

"Kate, I want you to know how much I love you." I whispered into her unconscious ear. I hoped that I was finishing her sentence for her.


End file.
